Against Egypt: the overthrow at Carchemish by the river Euphrates in the fourth year of Jehoiakim; 'Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by'; but fear not, O Jacob My servant — I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
verse value 6989
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 102 letters. The shortest word is "Necho" (נְכוֹ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: king, king, king. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "for·Egypt" (לְמִצְרַ֗יִם), "upon·strength" (עַל־חֵ֨יל), "Necho" (נְכוֹ֙). The root מלך appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·was" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "king" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "son·of·Josiah" (root בין, 146x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Carchemish', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 11 words.
Radak
"Concerning Egypt." He first prophesied about the calamity of the king of Egypt that came upon him from outside his land, that being when he went to the Euphrates River at Carchemish, after the king of Assyria and the king of Aram had captured it, as it says, "Is not Calno like Carchemish?" etc. Pharaoh Necho went there in the days of Josiah, and the days of the siege there were prolonged for him until the fourth year of Jehoiakim, when Nebuchadnezzar came up against him, and this prophecy was spoken concerning him. And afterward, he prophesied concerning the land of Egypt, that Nebuchadnezzar would conquer it.
"Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck, in the fourth year." It is the practice of the language for [the word 'year'] to come in construct form before the number, and so too "in the third year of his reign," and others besides it.
"Pharaoh Necho." Targum Yonatan translates: "Pharaoh the lame."
Metzudat David
“to Egypt.” This means that he spoke concerning Egypt, and in order to provide further clarification, he said, “concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho,” who was the king at that time.
"Which was." This means: concerning the matter that was by the River Euphrates, in the place of Carchemish, where Nebuchadnezzar struck them there, etc.
Metzudat Zion
Nakho. Jonathan the Targumist rendered it as "hagira" (a lame person), and likewise [the phrase] "ben necheh raglayim" (a man lame in his feet) [appears in] 2 Samuel 4:
In Karkemish. A place name:
Malbim
"Upon Egypt": This prophecy, which is in this chapter, was delivered concerning Egypt, which was struck by Nebuchadnezzar twice. And until verse 13, he prophesied concerning [Egypt], that he struck the army of Pharaoh Necho at the River Euphrates in the fourth year of Jehoiakim.
Make ready buckler and shield, And draw near to battle.
verse value 1008
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 21 letters. Verse gematria: 1008 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "shield" (מָגֵן֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·battle" (לַמִּלְחָמָֽה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·shield" (וְצִנָּ֔ה), "and·draw·near" (וּגְשׁ֖וּ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·battle" (root מלחמה, 24x in Jeremiah). Full calculation: עִרְכ֤וּ [order] (296) + מָגֵן֙ [shield] (93) + וְצִנָּ֔ה [and·shield] (151) + וּגְשׁ֖וּ [and·draw·near] (315) + לַמִּלְחָמָֽה [to·the·battle] (153) = 1008.
Rashi
A shield. It is made of leather, and it is boiled; and when he goes out to war, it is anointed with oil.
Tzinnah: A wooden structure resembling our shields.
Radak
“Prepare a shield.” This refers to the army of Nebuchadnezzar, which will array itself to fight against the army of Pharaoh. Or perhaps it means: against the army of Pharaoh, which will array itself to stand against the army of Nebuchadnezzar that is coming upon them.
"And tzinnah." It is like a shield, but made in a different fashion. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "Arrange round shields and bucklers."
Metzudat David
"Arrange yourselves." This is said of Egypt in a tone of mockery: "Arrange yourselves by donning shield and buckler, strengthen yourselves, and go forth to battle against the Chaldeans who are fighting against you."
Metzudat Zion
"Arrange!" A term of ordering/arranging:
A shield. It is a weapon of war, made to protect its owner from the blow of a sword and a spear.
And "tzinnah." It is like a shield, but in a different manner:
Malbim
"Arrange" – He will depict in his rhetoric that Egypt will no longer begin to go out to war at all, as it is stated (2 Kings 24:7): "And the king of Egypt did not again go out from his land, for the king of Babylon had taken from the brook of Egypt to the River Euphrates." And he says to him: "Arrange shield and buckler and advance to war." And he adds: "Or at least harness the horses, and the cavalry will mount them to ride, and stand ready in helmets, as if beginning to go out, even though they will not advance to the war itself." Or at least: "Polish the spears and put on the armor, as one who makes the initial preparations."
Harness the horses, and mount, you horsemen, And stand forth with your helmets; Furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.
verse value 3576
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "tie" (אִסְר֣וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·let·them·take·their·place" (וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ, 7 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "tie" (אִסְר֣וּ), "and·mount" (וַֽעֲלוּ֙), "the·horsemen" (הַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·mount" (root עלה, 74x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·helmets', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: אִסְר֣וּ [tie] (267) + הַסּוּסִ֗ים [the·horses] (181) + וַֽעֲלוּ֙ [and·mount] (112) + הַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים [the·horsemen] (635) + וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ [and·let·them·take·their·place] (519) + בְּכוֹבָעִ֑ים [with·helmets] (150) + מִרְקוּ֙ [scour] (346) + הָרְמָחִ֔ים [the·spears] (303) + לִבְשׁ֖וּ [clothing] (338) + הַסִּרְיֹנֹֽת [the·coats·of·mail] (725) = 3576.
Rashi
"Burnish the spears": Just as it says, "and it shall be scoured and rinsed" (Leviticus 7), [meaning] to scour; in the vernacular, *forbir*.
Radak
“Bind the horses.” Just as it says, “And he bound his chariot.”
"And the horsemen mounted." Those horsemen mounted the horses that had been harnessed.
"And stand in your helmets." [This means:] Stand upon the horses while wearing the helmets on your heads.
"Burnish the spears." Polish them of the rust and shine them.
“Put on the armor.” They are the iron garments made of rings, ring upon ring:
Metzudat David
"Asru." They bound the horses to the chariots, the cavalrymen mounted their horses, and they took their positions in battle formation, wearing helmets.
"Polish them." They polished the spears, removing the rust, so that they would have a gleam, and put on the armor to protect against the blow of the sword and the spear.
Metzudat Zion
Isru. The matter of tying:
The parashim. They are the horsemen who are accustomed to this:
"בכובעים" – like a helmet made of copper to protect the head; and similarly, "and a copper helmet on his head" (1 Samuel 17).
"Marku" (מרקו). A term of polishing and burnishing, similar to "and it shall be scoured and rinsed with water" (Leviticus 6:21).
The spears. Like a javelin:
The seriyonit. It is a kind of garment made of iron to protect against the blow of a sword and spear, as it is written: "and a scale armor" (1 Samuel 17).
Wherefore do I see them dismayed and turned backward? And their mighty ones are beaten down, And they are fled apace, and look not back; Terror is on every side, says Hashem.
verse value 3271
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 68 letters. The shortest word is "abundance" (הֵ֣מָּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·their·mighty·ones" (וְגִבּוֹרֵיהֶ֣ם, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "fear" (חַתִּים֮), "moved" (נְסֹגִ֣ים), "and·their·mighty·ones" (וְגִבּוֹרֵיהֶ֣ם). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "abundance" (root הם, 132x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root נוס ("fled") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'turned', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Rashi
"They are dismayed": [i.e., this refers to] Egypt.
"And they did not divert." They had no leisure to remain in battle.
Radak
"Why...'They are dismayed.'" I saw the army of Egypt dismayed before the army of Nebuchadnezzar. Why was this? Where was their might?
They retreat backward. They turn back in the face of Nebuchadnezzar's army:
"They are crushed." The term refers to breaking and crushing.
"And in flight they fled." [The word] "manos" is a noun on the pattern of [the word] "makom" (place).
And they did not turn back. They did not turn their faces against those pursuing them, but rather fled with great force. This is what is stated: “And they fled in flight,” to emphasize the intensity of the flight.
“Migor misaviv” [terror all around]. While they are fleeing, they will have fear all around, that they will fear that [enemies] will come against them from all their surroundings. And the Targum translated “magor” in the sense of gathering: “ve-lo mitpanan le-meikam min kodam de-qatlin be-charba de-mitkanshin aleihon min sechor sechor” [and they have no chance to stand before those who kill with the sword, who gather against them from every side].
Metzudat David
Why? For what reason did I see that they were terrified and retreating backward to flee from battle?
"And their mighty men." Even the mighty men among them are crushed and flee from the Chaldeans, and they did not turn back to them to fight against them.
“Terror surrounded them.” Fear seized them on all sides; that is to say, fear seized all of them; not a single person was exempt.
Metzudat Zion
"חתים." The meaning of awe and fear is similar to "and do not be dismayed" (Joshua 1):
They retreat backward. The matter of returning backward is like [the verse] "And we have gone backward from our God" (Isaiah 59:13):
They shall be crushed. From the language of crushing and breaking.
"And they fled with a flight." This refers to the matter of fleeing.
“Turn aside.” From the root *hafneh*, meaning “to turn aside”:
Magor. The meaning is fear, as in "Moab feared" (Numbers 22).
Malbim
Why did I see that they were like those who are stunned, lacking courage of heart, and more than this, that they retreated backward, as one who is faint-hearted in action, and more than this, that even their mighty men were truly struck down, and they fled and did not even turn to see if there was a pursuer, due to the abundance of their fear? Why was this so? He answers: Because of "terror all around"—declares the Lord; the Lord brought upon them terror and fear.
The swift cannot flee away, Nor the mighty man escape; In the north by the river Euphrates Have they stumbled and fallen.
verse value 2442
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "voice" (הַקַּ֔ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·escape" (וְאַל־יִמָּלֵ֖ט, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "not·flee" (אַל־יָנ֣וּס), "voice" (הַקַּ֔ל), "and·not·escape" (וְאַל־יִמָּלֵ֖ט). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not·flee" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "upon·hand" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "and·fell" (root נפל, 43x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·mighty·man', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: אַל־יָנ֣וּס [not·flee] (157) + הַקַּ֔ל [voice] (135) + וְאַל־יִמָּלֵ֖ט [and·not·escape] (126) + הַגִּבּ֑וֹר [the·mighty·man] (216) + צָפ֙וֹנָה֙ [north] (231) + עַל־יַ֣ד [upon·hand] (114) + נְהַר־פְּרָ֔ת [river·Euphrates] (935) + כָּשְׁל֖וּ [stumbled] (356) + וְנָפָֽלוּ [and·fell] (172) = 2442.
Radak
“Let him not flee.” One who is swift of foot should not flee, for it will not avail him, for his pursuers will overtake him.
"And the mighty man shall not escape." The mighty man shall not be counted as one who escapes if he stands to fight against them, for his strength will not avail him, and he will fall into their hands.
“Northward.” At the northern side of Carchemish, for there the battle took place; or Carchemish was north of Egypt, therefore it says “northward.” And so it says further below, “in the land of the north.”
Metzudat David
"Let not the swift flee." Even the swift on his feet shall not flee to save his life, for the enemy will overtake him.
"Northward." On the northern side, near the place of the river Euphrates; there they stumbled and fell.
Metzudat Zion
"Upon the hand." It means "nearby," as in "by the hand of the brook Jabbok" (Deuteronomy 2:37).
Malbim
"Let not [the swift] flee," but in vain did they flee, for even the swift on his feet shall not escape, and the mighty shall not deliver himself by his might. For they stumbled at the north, by the hand of the River Euphrates. Instead of fleeing toward the south, which is the direction of Egypt, they fled toward the north, to the bank of the river. The enemy came upon them from behind and pressed them toward the riverbank, where they all fell, for the river blocked their way.
Who is this like the Nile that rises up, Like the rivers whose waters toss themselves?
verse value 1984
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "who?·this" (מִי־זֶ֖ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "like·the·streams" (כַּנְּהָר֕וֹת, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "who?·this" (מִי־זֶ֖ה), "like·the·streams" (כַּנְּהָר֕וֹת), "his·water" (מֵימָֽיו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "will·go·up" (root עלה, 74x in Jeremiah); "his·water" (root מים, 21x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·go·up', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מִי־זֶ֖ה [who?·this] (62) + כַּיְאֹ֣ר [like·the·Nile] (231) + יַעֲלֶ֑ה [will·go·up] (115) + כַּנְּהָר֕וֹת [like·the·streams] (681) + יִֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ [toss·themselves] (789) + מֵימָֽיו [his·water] (106) = 1984.
Rashi
"Like the Nile it rises." For he was accustomed to raising up armies around him, like a river that overflows around it.
"His waters shall surge." [Targum:] "whose waters are agitated."
Radak
"Who is this?" He said this about Pharaoh in a manner of mockery: "Who is this who was rising from the land?"
Like the Nile, which rises and spreads across the land.
Like rivers. Just as the great rivers are stirred up, so too will the waters of Pharaoh be agitated; this is an allegory for his armies. And since they rose so greatly in might, how did they stumble and fall now before Nebuchadnezzar? He repeated the matter to strengthen it further, and said:
Metzudat David
“Who is this?” The mocker said: “Who is this people, who ascends and spreads out like the rising river that spreads over the entire face of the earth? And who is this people, raising a clamorous voice, like the rivers whose waters move with strong motion and raise a clamorous voice?”
Metzudat Zion
"יתגעשו" – the meaning is a strong shaking, as in "ותגעש הארץ" (Psalms 18:8).
Malbim
"Who is this that rises like the Nile?" Just as the Nile, at the time of its rising, covers the entire land with the abundance of its waters, so too he covered the "eye of the land" (i.e., its entire visible surface) with the multitude of his camps. And "his waters churn like rivers": just as a river that draws its waters swiftly and sweeps away everything in its path, so were his men mighty warriors who swept away all the kingdoms.
Egypt is like the Nile that rises up, And like the rivers whose waters toss themselves; And he says: ‘I will rise up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.’
verse value 3669
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "in·her" (בָֽהּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·as·the·rivers" (וְכַנְּהָר֖וֹת, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·as·the·rivers" (וְכַנְּהָר֖וֹת), "I·will·cover·land" (אֲכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ), "perish" (אֹבִ֥ידָה). The root עלה appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "and·dwelling" (root ישב, 147x in Jeremiah); "city" (root עיר, 117x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'water', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ [Egypt] (380) + כַּיְאֹ֣ר [like·the·Nile] (231) + יַעֲלֶ֔ה [will·go·up] (115) + וְכַנְּהָר֖וֹת [and·as·the·rivers] (687) + יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ [toss·themselves] (789) + מָ֑יִם [water] (90) + וַיֹּ֗אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אַֽעֲלֶה֙ [I·will·bring·up] (106) + אֲכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ [I·will·cover·land] (377) + אֹבִ֥ידָה [perish] (22) + עִ֖יר [city] (280) + וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי [and·dwelling] (328) + בָֽהּ [in·her] (7) = 3669.
Rashi
"Like the Nile it rises." It was accustomed to rise [overflow].
"I will destroy" [אוֹבִידָה] – like "I will destroy" [אֲאַבֵּד].
Radak
“Egypt as the Nile.” The first [instance of] “yitga’ashu” is from the hitpa’el conjugation, and this second [instance] “yitga’ashu” has a cholam on the gimel, compounded from the hitpa’el, similar to a four-letter root, saying: just as the rivers “yitga’ashu” [surge] with water, so too will Pharaoh’s armies “yitga’ashu” [surge] when he enters the land. And the meaning of “yitga’ashu” is the meaning of the surging of waters and their movement with strength. And Yonatan [the Aramaic translator] translated “ki’Or” as “ke’anna” [like a cloud].
And He said, "I will ascend, I will cover the earth." "I will ascend" is pronounced with a patach under the aleph instead of a segol; and so too "I will answer, my portion." For they are intransitive verbs; had they been of the pa'ul construction, they would be transitive. And it is not far-fetched to say that the aleph should have a patach, even though this is not the customary practice.
“Ovidah” [I will destroy]. It is from the hif'il conjugation; its rule would be “a'avidah” [with two alephs], but it is written this way in order to omit [one of] the alephs, as is the rule.
Metzudat David
Egypt. It is as if He answers Himself: “Behold, this is Egypt,” for it was rising up and spreading with the multitude of its armies, like the Nile which spreads out, and it was raising a voice of tumult, like the rivers which stir up the waters with great strength and with a raised voice.
"And he said." He was thinking in his heart, "I will go up and cover the earth with the multitude of my armies, and I will destroy the city." This is Karkemish, which was in the hand of the king of Assyria.
Malbim
Mitzrayim: The answer is that Egypt is the one accustomed to rise like the Nile, and the statements are parallel: "Like the Nile it will rise and say, 'I will rise, I will cover the earth.'" Just as the Nile covers the earth with water, so too "and its waters will churn like rivers" (and it will say): "I will destroy the city and its inhabitants" — like a river that sweeps away and destroys everything.
Prance, you horses, and rush madly, you chariots; And let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, that handle the shield, And the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow.
verse value 4605
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עֲל֤וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·rage·madly" (וְהִתְהֹלְל֣וּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 790: combatants·who·engaged, combatants·who·engaged. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·chariots" (הָרֶ֔כֶב), "the·mighty·men" (הַגִּבּוֹרִ֑ים), "Cush" (כּ֤וּשׁ). The root תפש appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon" (root עלה, 74x in Jeremiah); "and·they·will·go·out" (root יצא, 73x in Jeremiah); "who·draw" (root דרך, 64x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·mighty·men', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: עֲל֤וּ [upon] (106) + הַסּוּסִים֙ [the·horses] (181) + וְהִתְהֹלְל֣וּ [and·rage·madly] (482) + הָרֶ֔כֶב [the·chariots] (227) + וְיֵצְא֖וּ [and·they·will·go·out] (113) + הַגִּבּוֹרִ֑ים [the·mighty·men] (266) + כּ֤וּשׁ [Cush] (326) + וּפוּט֙ [and·Put] (101) + תֹּפְשֵׂ֣י [combatants·who·engaged] (790) + מָגֵ֔ן [shield] (93) + וְלוּדִ֕ים [and·Ludim] (96) + תֹּפְשֵׂ֖י [combatants·who·engaged] (790) + דֹּ֥רְכֵי [who·draw] (234) + קָֽשֶׁת [bow] (800) = 4605.
Rashi
"and they were foolish." This is the language of foolishness:
Radak
“Go up, O horses.” Now, when Nebuchadnezzar's army comes, [it is as if it is said to] the horses, “Go up, O horses” — let us see what you will do, you horses — that is, the horses of Egypt: go up against the army that is coming upon you, just as you used to go up before their arrival, like the rising waters.
“And dash madly.” You, O chariots — as you used to do from the beginning. And “rekhev” [chariot] there is a collective term, as in “six hundred chosen chariots.” And the frenzy of the chariotry is the galloping of the horses, going forth and returning, and their racing, which resembles frenzy and madness.
“And the mighty ones went out.” The yod [here] has a tzere, and this [vocalization] is unique — there is none like it — while the rest [of the occurrences of this word] have a qamats under the yod.
Cush and Put. They came with Pharaoh, and likewise the Ludites.
“Grasp, draw the bow.” [This is] a construct noun upon a construct noun, like “rivers, streams of honey and butter,” “wise men, counselors of Pharaoh,” and “hidden things, buried things of the sand.”
Metzudat David
"Go up, O horses." You, the riders of the horses, go up to war; and you, the men of the chariot, dash madly, running hither and thither.
Cush and Put. For they too came to her aid:
“Tofshei dorchey keshet.” This means: those who grasp the bow and tread upon it to draw it tightly, in order to shoot at a distance.
Metzudat Zion
"Vehithollelu." From the language of "holelut" (madness/frenzy) and insanity, for due to the intensity of their running they appear as if they are going mad. And similarly, "in the streets the chariots rage madly" (Nahum 2:5).
Cush and Put. And the Ludites: these are the names of nations.
"Those who tread." This refers to the practice of treading with the foot upon the bow in order to tighten/stretch it properly.
Malbim
"Ascend, and I command you to ascend upon the horses; and let the chariots dash madly, and let the mighty men go out," and with them let their helpers go out, Cush and Put, etc. But "that day is the day of the Lord, a day of vengeance." Therefore, He placed it in their hearts to go out to war against Nebuchadnezzar, and the sword devoured them, and they were satiated with their flesh, and it was drunk with their blood. For a great sacrifice to the Lord is depicted as if the Lord had prepared a sacrifice by the River Euphrates (for it was their custom to offer sacrifices to the river), and He consecrated His invited guests, along with the Chaldeans, to eat and become satiated.
For the Lord Hashem of hosts shall have on that day A day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries; And the sword shall devour and be satiate, And shall be made drunk with their blood; For the Lord Hashem of hosts has a sacrifice In the north country by the river Euphrates.
verse value 5074
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 97 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 5074 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·river·Euphrates" (אֶל־נְהַר־פְּרָֽת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 499: hosts, hosts. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·the·day" (וְֽהַיּ֨וֹם), "to·avenge·themselves" (לְהִנָּקֵ֣ם), "from·his·adversaries" (מִצָּרָ֔יו). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "to·river·Euphrates" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·their·blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 8 words.
Rashi
“and he shall be satisfied.” This is the language of satiety. Another interpretation: it is the language of intoxication, like the word “shekar” (wine/intoxicant), as we translate in the Targum: “meruy” (intoxicated).
"In the land of the north." This refers to the fact that Pharaoh went out against Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish, and he too was defeated, his mighty men were slain, and he fled from the battle.
Radak
"And that day." It is a day of vengeance to take vengeance from His enemies, the vengeance of King Josiah, whom Pharaoh Necho killed at Megiddo.
“And it shall be drunk (וְרָוְתָה) with their blood.” [This form] is from the light [category, i.e., without a dagesh], and there is none like it; and the rest of the occurrences of רותה are from the heavy [category, i.e., with a dagesh].
“Unto (אל) the river Euphrates.” [Used here] like על (‘by/upon’); and similarly, ‘upon (אל) the mountains he did not eat’ [cf. Ezekiel 18:6, where אל likewise means על].
Metzudat David
"And the day, etc." – This means that it would not be according to his expectation, for the days of the siege were prolonged until Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came upon her (and this was by the decree of Heaven to take vengeance from him for the vengeance of Josiah, King of Judah, whom he had killed, as it is stated in II Kings).
And the sword shall devour. That of the Chaldeans:
"For a sacrifice to the Lord." This means that the sacrifice comes by the decree of the Omnipresent.
"To the river Euphrates." Adjacent to the river Euphrates, for there was the battle.
Metzudat Zion
"And it shall be sated." The matter of satiating hunger:
And it shall be satisfied. The matter of quenching thirst is like [the verse] “as a garden that is watered” (Isaiah 58:11):
Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt; In vain do you use many medicines; There is no cure for you.
verse value 5145
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 55 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָֽךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "daughter·of·Egypt" (בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·take" (וּקְחִ֣י), "be or become great" (הִרְבֵּ֣ית). The root עלה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "nothing" (root אין, 88x in Jeremiah); "upon·me" (root עלה, 74x in Jeremiah); "and·take" (root לקח, 65x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'daughter·of·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words.
Radak
“Go up to Gilead.” Even if you go up and take balm, it will not benefit you.
“In vain have you multiplied healings.” For naught you will take medicines for your wound.
“For there is no healing for you.” [The word] תעלה is like רפואה (remedy), and the רפואה is a metaphor for the help of [Egypt's] helpers, such as Cush, Put, and Lud.
“I have multiplied [הרביתי].” It is written with a yod, meaning that they [the Egyptians] will say so at the time of their downfall. And ‘you have multiplied’ [הרבית] is the kri (the read form), which the prophet says addressing the virgin daughter of Egypt.
Metzudat David
"Go up to Gilead." He said in a mocking manner to Egypt: "Go up to Gilead, the place of the balm, and take from there balm to heal your ailments."
“Virgin.” It is called a “virgin” because it has not yet been conquered by any nation, just as a virgin is one with whom no man has lain.
"In vain have you multiplied." You have multiplied in vain the various kinds of remedies, for there is no benefit or healing in them; and this is a matter of rhetoric.
Metzudat Zion
Ceri. It is the resin that drips from the trees of the katif, and likewise [the verse states]: “honey, oil, and ceri” (Ezekiel 27:17).
"Ta'alah" (healing). The matter of healing is like "healings," as it says, "There is no healing" (above, 30). And the doubling of the word is in synonymous terms.
Malbim
"Go up to Gilead" – After the defeat of Pharaoh, he still sought to strengthen his dominion that he had in the land of Syria, up to beyond the Jordan, for Gilead was the head of this kingdom. And regarding this he poetically alludes that he wanted to take balm for his wound from Gilead, for there the balm grows. But "you have multiplied remedies in vain" through medicines, since you have no cure, for the root vitality and health have been destroyed. That is to say, it is impossible for you to strengthen yourself through other nations after the choice of your warriors has fallen, for "the nations have heard your disgrace," and they will not strengthen themselves to be your helpers. And besides the rumor, even your own cry fills the land, for "a mighty man has stumbled against a mighty man," meaning there was tumult among his warriors and they killed one another.
The nations have heard of your shame, And the earth is full of your cry; For the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, They are fallen both of them together. .
verse value 3002
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "they·heard" (שָׁמְע֤וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·your·outcry" (וְצִוְחָתֵ֖ךְ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·your·outcry" (וְצִוְחָתֵ֖ךְ), "for·mighty" (כִּֽי־גִבּ֤וֹר), "against·mighty" (בְּגִבּוֹר֙). The root גבור appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "they·heard" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah); "nations" (root גוי, 81x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: שָׁמְע֤וּ [they·heard] (416) + גוֹיִם֙ [nations] (59) + קְלוֹנֵ֔ךְ [your·shame] (206) + וְצִוְחָתֵ֖ךְ [and·your·outcry] (530) + מָלְאָ֣ה [is·full] (76) + הָאָ֑רֶץ [earth] (296) + כִּֽי־גִבּ֤וֹר [for·mighty] (241) + בְּגִבּוֹר֙ [against·mighty] (213) + כָּשָׁ֔לוּ [have·stumbled] (356) + יַחְדָּ֖יו [together] (38) + נָפְל֥וּ [they·fell] (166) + שְׁנֵיהֶֽם [two] (405) = 3002.
Rashi
"Strong against strong they stumbled." When they were fleeing, they tripped and stumbled over one another.
Radak
"Hear, and your cry." Like "your cry," and similarly, "a cry over wine."
“Strong against strong, they stumbled.” For even the mighty flee and stumble, one over his brother, as they flee. For by the force of the first man’s flight, he stumbles and falls, and the last man stumbles over him as he flees, finding him lying in the way, and stumbles over him as he flees. And behold, they both fell together.
Metzudat David
Your disgrace: That you are delivered into the hand of Babylon.
“The earth is full.” This means that in every place their cry will be heard, for when they flee hither and thither, a warrior will stumble over a warrior in the course of their flight, and both of them together will fall and perish.
Metzudat Zion
Your disgrace. From the language of disgrace and humiliation:
And your cry. From the language of a cry and a wail:
The word that Hashem spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.
verse value 3583
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 61 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֙, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "to·strike" (לְהַכּ֖וֹת). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "to·Jeremiah" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·prophet', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: הַדָּבָר֙ [the·word] (211) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + דִּבֶּ֣ר [spoke] (206) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ [to·Jeremiah] (302) + הַנָּבִ֑יא [the·prophet] (68) + לָב֗וֹא [to·come] (39) + נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֙ [Nebuchadrezzar] (573) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + בָּבֶ֔ל [Babylon] (34) + לְהַכּ֖וֹת [to·strike] (461) + אֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ [land] (692) + מִצְרָֽיִם [Egypt] (380) = 3583.
Rashi
"To come, Nebuchadnezzar." This refers to the second plague, in which Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Egypt in the twenty-seventh year of his reign (Ezekiel 29:14), as we learned in Seder Olam.
Radak
The matter. Afterwards, Nebuchadnezzar came again to strike the land of Egypt, and the prophet prophesied against them before his arrival, saying:
Metzudat David
"To come." That Nebuchadnezzar will come upon the land of Egypt to strike them in their land.
Malbim
The matter: Now he prophesied concerning what happened when they were struck a second time by Nebuchadnezzar, who came to the land of Egypt to strike it.
Declare you in Egypt, and announce in Migdol, And announce in Noph and in Tahpanhes; Say you: ‘Stand forth, and prepare you, For the sword has devoured round about you.’
verse value 3400
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 72 letters. Notable word values: "for·has-devoured" (כִּֽי־אָכְלָ֥ה) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 3400 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "to·you" (לָ֔ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·Tahpanhes" (וּבְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 437: and·proclaim, and·proclaim. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "in·Egypt" (בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙), "in·Migdol" (בְמִגְדּ֔וֹל), "in·Noph" (בְנֹ֖ף). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "and·proclaim" (root שמע, 184x in Jeremiah); "sword" (root חרב, 87x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·in·Tahpanhes', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: הַגִּ֤ידוּ [tell] (28) + בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ [in·Egypt] (382) + וְהַשְׁמִ֣יעֽוּ [and·proclaim] (437) + בְמִגְדּ֔וֹל [in·Migdol] (85) + וְהַשְׁמִ֥יעוּ [and·proclaim] (437) + בְנֹ֖ף [in·Noph] (132) + וּבְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס [and·in·Tahpanhes] (614) + אִמְר֗וּ [say] (247) + הִתְיַצֵּב֙ [stand] (507) + וְהָכֵ֣ן [and·prepare] (81) + לָ֔ךְ [to·you] (50) + כִּֽי־אָכְלָ֥ה [for·has-devoured] (86) + חֶ֖רֶב [sword] (210) + סְבִיבֶֽיךָ [your·around] (104) = 3400.
Rashi
"Stand firm and prepare yourself." This corresponds to the war; 'atkein' is Aramaic for 'vehachen' [prepare].
Radak
“Tell it in Egypt.” First, it recalls the general statement “in Egypt,” and then it specifies “in Migdol,” which is [the place] mentioned in the Torah [as] “between Migdol and the sea.” Likewise “in Noph” and “in Tahpanhes,” royal cities of Pharaoh.
Metzudat David
"Tell them, etc." — that Nebuchadnezzar is destined to come upon them.
"Say." You who proclaim the sound, say to the king of Egypt: 'Stand ready to engage in the bonds of war, and prepare for yourself all the necessities of war, for the sword of the enemy has consumed you from all sides.'
Metzudat Zion
"In Migdol." In Noph and in Tahpanhes: These are the names of places in the land of Egypt.
Malbim
"Announce" — first, they should announce in Egypt that Nebuchadnezzar has come against him, and afterward they should proclaim in Migdol and Noph, which are fortified cities, that they should stand firm in their fortresses and there prepare weapons of war. And the proclamation should be that they remain in their places to fight for their cities, not that they go out to meet the enemy, for already the sword has devoured you all around.
Why is your strong one overthrown? He stood not, because Hashem did thrust him down.
verse value 857
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "mighty" (אַבִּירֶ֑יךָ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "was·prostrated" (נִסְחַ֣ף), "mighty" (אַבִּירֶ֑יךָ), "he·pushed·him" (הֲדָפֽוֹ). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'mighty', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: מַדּ֖וּעַ [why?] (120) + נִסְחַ֣ף [was·prostrated] (198) + אַבִּירֶ֑יךָ [mighty] (243) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + עָמַ֔ד [stood] (114) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + הֲדָפֽוֹ [he·pushed·him] (95) = 857.
Rashi
Nis'chaf. "Your mighty men were swept away and slipped," like "a sweeping rain" (Proverbs 28:3). "His field was swept away [nistachfah sadeihu]" is a term of the Mishnah. And Menachem grouped it under the term for destruction, and he likewise grouped "a sweeping rain" there. But Dunash interpreted "a sweeping rain" as equivalent to "a lopping rain," like "[He] lops off a bough with terror" (Isaiah 10:33).
Radak
"Why are your mighty ones swept away? They did not stand." And the answer is: "for the Lord thrust him down." נסחף is [related to] a sweeping rain, as if a rain had swept him away, so that he could not stand on his own. And it says נסחף (swept away) in the singular, but says אביריך (your mighty ones) in the plural, meaning: each and every one of your mighty ones.
Metzudat David
Your warriors are swept away. The mighty ones among you: why is each one swept and carried off, so that he cannot stand on his feet?
"He did not stand." It is as if [the verse] answers: for this reason he did not stand — because the Lord repelled him, and He fought against him.
Metzudat Zion
"Nischaf." The matter of washing and sweeping is like "a sweeping rain" (Proverbs 28:3):
Your mighty ones. The matter is one of strength and valor, as in "the gallopings of his mighty steeds" (Judges 5).
"Hadafo" – The matter is one of crushing and pushing, as it is written: "God shall thrust him away" (Job 32).
Malbim
Why? asks [the questioner]. But why were the mighty men overwhelmed and did not stand firm in battle in the fortified cities? [The answer is:] He did not stand firm, because the Lord repelled them.
He made many to stumble; Indeed, they fell one upon another, And said: ‘Arise, and let us return to our own people, And to the land of our birth, From the oppressing sword.’
verse value 3698
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 68 letters. Verse gematria: 3698 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֣ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "our·native·land" (מוֹלַדְתֵּ֔נוּ, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "stumbling" (כּוֹשֵׁ֑ל), "also·fell" (גַּם־נָפַ֞ל), "and·let·us·return" (וְנָשֻׁ֣בָה). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "to·shouting" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "and·to·land·of" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'stumbling', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 12 words. Full calculation: הִרְבָּ֖ה [be or become great] (212) + כּוֹשֵׁ֑ל [stumbling] (356) + גַּם־נָפַ֞ל [also·fell] (203) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ [to·shouting] (312) + וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ [and·they·said] (263) + ק֣וּמָה [arise] (151) + וְנָשֻׁ֣בָה [and·let·us·return] (363) + אֶל־עַמֵּ֗נוּ [to·with] (197) + וְאֶל־אֶ֙רֶץ֙ [and·to·land·of] (328) + מוֹלַדְתֵּ֔נוּ [our·native·land] (536) + מִפְּנֵ֖י [from·face·of] (180) + חֶ֥רֶב [sword] (210) + הַיּוֹנָֽה [dove] (76) = 3698.
Rashi
"[He] increased the stumbler [i.e., caused many to stumble]." The Holy One, blessed be He, who thrust him and increased the obstacles for him.
Also, "fell" (נפל). They gathered, each man to his companion, saying, "Let us arise and return to our people, from the place from which we came out, to fight."
"The sword of the yonah." [Targum:] 'The sword of the enemy, which is like wine that intoxicates.' 'Yonah' is a term for wine. Another version: a term for deception.
Radak
Many stumbled. That is, [the text] mentions many who stumbled among them.
"Also a man fell upon his friend." [Here "upon" is] like "upon his friend" — as it says, "the mighty stumbled against the mighty." And Jonathan translated "fell" similar to [the phrase] "to the Chaldeans you are falling," which he rendered "yielded"; and so too here he translated: "also each man yielded to his fellow."
And they said, "Arise, and let us return to our people." These were the sojourners in Egypt from other lands, for when there was famine, they would come to dwell in Egypt, since in most years there is abundance in Egypt more than in other lands. And when Nebuchadnezzar's army came, they said to one another, "Arise, and let us return to our people."
"Yonah" [the oppressor]. The forceful one, for there is none who can stand against her. Likewise, "and I will feed your oppressors, your forcers"; and likewise, "My princes shall no longer wrong My people." And Jonathan translated it in the sense of wine, rendering [our verse]: "from before the sword of the enemy, which is like intoxicating wine."
Metzudat David
“He stumbles much.” This means that many obstacles were placed before him:
“Also a man fell, etc.” This means that the non-Jews who came to aid Egypt leaned toward one another and joined together, saying, “Let us arise from here and return to our people, etc.”
"Because of the sword of the dove." This is the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, which is relentless and coerces, to rob the body and the property.
Metzudat Zion
Nafal. The meaning is inclination and joining, as in “to the Chaldeans you shall fall” (above 37:13).
"Ha-yonah." From the term for fraud/oppression, and its meaning is the oppression of body and of property. Likewise, "the oppressing city" (Zephaniah 3:1):
Malbim
"The Lord has caused many to stumble, and through the stumbling block a man fell upon his neighbor, resulting in an internal war among them, and one caused his fellow to stumble. Consequently, the nations who were their allies were scattered, and each man said to his neighbor, 'Arise, and let us return to our people,' because of the oppressing sword — that is, the sword of Nebuchadnezzar."
They cried there: ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; He has let the appointed time pass by.’
verse value 2241
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֑ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "king·of·Egypt" (מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "let·pass" (הֶעֱבִ֖יר), "the·meeting" (הַמּוֹעֵֽד). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "there" (root שם, 122x in Jeremiah); "they·called" (root קרא, 66x in Jeremiah); "let·pass" (root עבר, 31x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'there', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: קָרְא֖וּ [they·called] (307) + שָׁ֑ם [there] (340) + פַּרְעֹ֤ה [Pharaoh] (355) + מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ [king·of·Egypt] (470) + שָׁא֔וֹן [roar] (357) + הֶעֱבִ֖יר [let·pass] (287) + הַמּוֹעֵֽד [the·meeting] (125) = 2241.
Rashi
"They called there." In war [on the battlefield], they proclaimed a parable of disgrace.
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was a tumult. For he would raise his voice in tumultuous boasts, to boast in his armies.
"He passed the appointed time." This means that he designated a specific day for war, to go out and fight, but he did not go out, and the day of the appointed time passed.
Radak
"They called." [Meaning] they said there, in Egypt, by way of a proclamation, about Pharaoh king of Egypt, who was a king of tumult and a great multitude.
"He let the appointed time pass." The appointed time that had been given to the king of Babylon to go out and fight against him, he let it pass out of his fear of him. And [the word] "king" stands in place of two: king of Egypt and king of tumult. And Jonathan translated "they called" as "they made ready."
Metzudat David
"There they called." In the battle line of the army of the Chaldeans, they proclaimed, saying: "Pharaoh king of Egypt raises a clamorous voice in pride and greatness of heart" — behold, now he has let the appointed time pass; that is to say, he did not come to fight battle-line against battle-line on the day that was appointed and fixed, for faintness came into his heart.
Metzudat Zion
Sha'on. The matter of tumult:
The appointed time. The matter of a fixed time, as it says, “for an appointed time that is kept for you” (1 Samuel 8).
Malbim
"There they called out" — first, they called out and proclaimed that Pharaoh was coming with great tumult and a vast multitude; and afterwards they called out that he had let the appointed time pass, for he had fixed another appointed time at which he would come, whereas the Lord said that he would not come at all.
As I live, says the King, Whose name is Hashem of hosts, Surely like Tabor among the mountains, And like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
verse value 2438
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "utterance·of·the·king" (נְאֻם־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "like·Tabor" (כְּתָב֣וֹר), "in·the·mountains" (בֶּהָרִ֔ים), "and·like·Carmel" (וּכְכַרְמֶ֖ל). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "will·go·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·name', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ [as·I·live] (79) + נְאֻם־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [utterance·of·the·king] (186) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֖וֹת [hosts] (499) + שְׁמ֑וֹ [his·name] (346) + כִּ֚י [for] (30) + כְּתָב֣וֹר [like·Tabor] (628) + בֶּהָרִ֔ים [in·the·mountains] (257) + וּכְכַרְמֶ֖ל [and·like·Carmel] (316) + בַּיָּ֥ם [in·the·sea] (52) + יָבֽוֹא [will·go·in] (19) = 2438.
Rashi
"For, like Tabor among the mountains." For just as it is true that Tabor is fixed among the mountains, and Mount Carmel is by the sea, so too shall this matter truly come upon Egypt.
Radak
"I live, says the Lord, as Tabor is among the mountains." My master and father, of blessed memory, explained: Just as Mount Tabor is a place where one goes to hunt and spread nets, as it is said, "A net is spread over Tabor," so too will they hunt them.
“And like Carmel in the sea it shall come.” Just as the trees of Carmel are brought by sea, so too they will bring them in exile. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: “As much as the word of Tabor is established in the mountains, and like Carmel in the sea, so shall its destruction come.”
Metzudat David
"For as Tabor among the mountains." Just as Mount Tabor is fixed among the mountains and does not move from its place, and just as Mount Carmel stands by the sea and does not depart from there, so will Nebuchadnezzar come upon Egypt and will not change or move from his coming there.
Metzudat Zion
As it is written: “Tavor.” And like Carmel, these are names of mountains that are well-known and famous.
Malbim
"I live"—as in, 'for like Tabor among the mountains,' meaning that even though Mount Tabor sits among the mountains, and Mount Carmel is near the sea (as stated in Tractate Shabbat, page 34), in order that the sun may rest upon the head of Carmel and descend into the sea and immerse itself—this being the measure of twilight—nevertheless, it is impossible for Tabor to enter among the mountains beside it, nor for Carmel to enter the sea, because the Lord established them so that they would not move from their place. So too, Pharaoh, even though he is close to the place of battle, will not move from his place and will not come.
O you daughter that dwell in Egypt, Furnish thyself to go into captivity; For Noph shall become a desolation, And shall be laid waste, without inhabitant.
verse value 3959
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָ֔ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "daughter·of·Egypt" (בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "exiles" (גוֹלָה֙), "for·Noph" (כִּי־נֹף֙), "and·will·be·kindled" (וְנִצְּתָ֖ה). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·Noph" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "it·will·be" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah); "do" (root עשה, 147x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'daughter·of·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: כְּלֵ֤י [vessels·of] (60) + גוֹלָה֙ [exiles] (44) + עֲשִׂ֣י [do] (380) + לָ֔ךְ [to·you] (50) + יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת [dwelling] (718) + בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם [daughter·of·Egypt] (782) + כִּי־נֹף֙ [for·Noph] (160) + לְשַׁמָּ֣ה [to·astonishment] (375) + תִֽהְיֶ֔ה [it·will·be] (420) + וְנִצְּתָ֖ה [and·will·be·kindled] (551) + מֵאֵ֥ין [without] (101) + יוֹשֵֽׁב [dwelling] (318) = 3959.
Rashi
Utensils for exile. A person setting out on a journey prepares for himself a water-skin and an earthenware jug, to drink from it.
"And it shall be laid waste." A term for aridity/drought.
Radak
"Vessels of exile, O dwelling Daughter of Egypt." [Referring to] the Daughter of Egypt who was dwelling — that is, dwelling securely — and you thought that you would dwell in your land for a long time. Now make for yourself vessels of exile, for you will be exiled from it. And it [the verse] mentions Noph, which was a royal city.
ונצתה. תשם – like [the verse] “their cities were laid waste” (נצתו), and “it was laid waste” (ונצתה) as in the wilderness; and so too the Targum renders it: ותצדי.
Metzudat David
A vessel of exile. It is the way of those who go into exile to prepare for themselves a vessel to drink from, and a vessel in which to knead dough, and the like.
It shall become a waste. For you will be exiled from it:
And it shall be desolate: it shall be a desolation, with no one remaining to dwell in it.
Metzudat Zion
"Leshamah." [Same as] "leshammah" — to a desolation:
And it shall be desolate. From the language of dryness and desolation.
Malbim
“Make for yourself gear for exile,” meaning that in this matter you shall be removed from your place, so that you go out to be in exile, for Noph shall become a desolation.
Egypt is a very fair heifer; But the gadfly out of the north is come, it is come.
verse value 1340
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "fair·peh" (יְפֵה־פִיָּ֖ה, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 3: went·in, went·in. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "heifer" (עֶגְלָ֥ה), "fair·peh" (יְפֵה־פִיָּ֖ה), "nipping" (קֶ֥רֶץ). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "went·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "Egypt" (root מצרים, 46x in Jeremiah); "north" (root צפון, 25x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: עֶגְלָ֥ה [heifer] (108) + יְפֵה־פִיָּ֖ה [fair·peh] (190) + מִצְרָ֑יִם [Egypt] (380) + קֶ֥רֶץ [nipping] (390) + מִצָּפ֖וֹן [north] (266) + בָּ֥א [went·in] (3) + בָֽא [went·in] (3) = 1340.
Rashi
“A beautiful heifer.” The kingdom is beautiful.
Karatz. Slaying nations; "karatz" is a term meaning "cut," and similarly, "from the clay I was pinched off" (Job 33:6).
From the north. From Babylonia:
Radak
"A heifer, fair of face, is Egypt." "Fair of face" is two words, yet its meaning is [that of] one word. Likewise "pakach-koach" [opening (of eyes)], and "contempt for the haughty," and "He guides us forever" — all these are two words whose meaning is [that of] one word; so too "fair of face" — the second and third root letters are doubled in it, [to indicate] abundance of beauty. And it compares Egypt to an exceedingly fair heifer, for the abundance of her beauty and her fatness; and so too the verse calls the fair and fat women "cows of Bashan."
"Keretz from the north; come, come." The sense is [that of] pinching/forming and decree, as in [the verse]: "from clay I too was formed."
“From the north”: From Babylonia, which is in the north. And “Come, come” is a doubling of the expression to strengthen the matter.
Metzudat David
Heifer. Egypt, which was a kingdom beautiful like a very beautiful heifer—behold, from the north shall come upon it Nebuchadnezzar, the cutter, who severs it.
"Coming, coming." The duplication of the word serves to strengthen the statement and to say that He will certainly come.
Metzudat Zion
“Yafeh piyahu.” Its interpretation is as a single word, and it means “very beautiful.” For this reason, the ayin and the lamed of the root are doubled, similar to [words like] yarekarek (greenish) or admadam (reddish).
Kartz. The matter is one of cutting and severance, as it is written: “From clay I have pinched off” (Job 33:6).
Malbim
"A heifer of beautiful form": Egypt honored and revered the bull, ascribing divinity to it, and it stood in the region of Noph. When Noph was destroyed, the Chaldeans killed their object of reverence. Thus, Egypt is compared to a beautiful heifer—namely, the calf they served, for they would choose one that was exceedingly handsome. And the cutting and the slaughter came upon it from the north, from the people of the Chaldeans.
Also her mercenaries in the midst of her Are like calves of the stall, For they also are turned back, they are fled away together, They did not stand; For the day of their calamity is come upon them, The time of their visitation.
verse value 3324
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "also·her·hirelings" (גַּם־שְׂכִרֶ֤יהָ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "also·her·hirelings" (גַּם־שְׂכִרֶ֤יהָ), "as·calves·of" (כְּעֶגְלֵ֣י), "stall" (מַרְבֵּ֔ק). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·also·abundance" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "upon·them" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·stood', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
Her hired ones. Her princes, like "the hired razor" (Isaiah 7:20):
Marbek. In the vernacular, it is called "Koupla."
"They turned back." They turned [their] back in order to flee.
Radak
"Also her hirelings." The armies that were hired to help them are in her midst.
"Like well-fed calves." Just as calves that stand in the house to be fattened, so they sit and eat and drink, and do not go out to war. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated "her mercenaries" as "her nobles" (רברבהא), just as [elsewhere] he explained "the hired one" to mean "great." "Marbek" is a term for fattening, and so "a marbek calf." And so too in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: "bringing it into the pen" (הכניסה לרבקה) [i.e., leading an animal into a team of cattle harnessed together to tread grain].
“הפנו” – Explanation: “הפנו ערף,” [meaning] they turned their back [in flight].
Metzudat David
"Even her hired servants": Even the great princes who are within her will be led to slaughter, like fattened calves in a pen, which, once they have become fat, are taken out to slaughter.
"Even they." Although it is the way of commanders to be courageous of heart and to stand firm in the bonds of war, these did not act thus; for they turned away from the battle and fled together, and did not hold their ground. Therefore, when the enemy overtook them, they fell among the slain, and were not taken captive, as is the manner of commanders.
"For the day of their disaster." This means: because the day of their disaster, which is the time of their death—the decree that applies to every living being—has come upon them, therefore fear has entered their hearts.
Metzudat Zion
Her hired ones. Their meaning is great and honored [ones]. And similarly, "the hired razor" (Isaiah 7:20).
Marbek. It is the stall, the place where they fatten the calves there; and likewise, "and calves from the stall" (Amos 6:4).
“Turn aside.” From the language of turning and going.
Ayd: A matter of brokenness and misfortune, as it is said, “Is not destruction (ayd) for the wicked?” (Job 31:3).
"Their reckoning." [This term] is said in reference to death, indicating that it is the decree and remembrance of the Divine providence over every living being, as it is written: "and the decree concerning all mankind" (Numbers 16:29).
Malbim
“Also its hired servants”—and on this basis, the verse also compares kings who fought their wars for wages and assisted Egypt, likening them to fattened calves. They were also like calves that stood there to be fattened by the bounty of the land of Egypt. But after the defeat of the “calf,” which is Egypt, they too turned to go to their own land; they fled and did not stand firm, for their day of doom also came upon them, and the time of their reckoning arrived because of their sins.
The sound thereof shall go like the serpent’s; For they march with an army, And come against her with axes, As hewers of wood.
verse value 1786
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "to·her" (לָ֔הּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·with·axes" (וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "as·the·serpent" (כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ), "for·strength" (כִּֽי־בְחַ֣יִל), "and·with·axes" (וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙). The root הלך appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·went·in" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah); "shall·go" (root הלך, 108x in Jeremiah); "her·voice" (root קול, 81x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·go', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: קוֹלָ֖הּ [her·voice] (141) + כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ [as·the·serpent] (378) + יֵלֵ֑ךְ [shall·go] (60) + כִּֽי־בְחַ֣יִל [for·strength] (80) + יֵלֵ֔כוּ [they·march] (66) + וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙ [and·with·axes] (758) + בָּ֣אוּ [they·went·in] (9) + לָ֔הּ [to·her] (35) + כְּחֹטְבֵ֖י [cutting] (49) + עֵצִֽים [tree] (210) = 1786.
Rashi
"Her voice shall go like a serpent." Behold, the serpent comes to teach about Egypt, and it turns out to itself be taught [as well]. Thus we learn from here that when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the serpent, "Upon your belly you shall go" (Genesis 3:14), and He cut off its legs, its voice traveled to the end of the world. So it is taught in the Thirty-two Rules of Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean.
"Ki vechayil yelechu" (For with an army they shall go). Against her [Egypt]:
Radak
“Her voice shall go like [that of] a serpent.” The sound of Egypt’s cry shall travel far, like the sound of a serpent; and Jonathan translated it: “The sound of the clashing of their weapons is like [that of] crawling serpents.”
Metzudat David
Her voice. The voice of Egypt will go forth to be heard from afar, like the voice of the serpent which is heard from afar:
“For they shall go forth with an army.” The Chaldeans shall march against them with a large army, and they shall come against them with axes to cut them down, like woodcutters. This means: Just as trees cannot prevent the woodcutters from cutting them, so too will Egypt be unable to save itself from the sword of the Chaldeans.
Metzudat Zion
And with axes. This is the axe that cuts wood, as it is said: “And Abimelech took the axes” (Judges 9:48).
"Like woodcutters": Thus are called those who cut down trees, as it is stated, "from among your woodcutters" (Deuteronomy 29:10).
Malbim
"Her voice" – the image of the serpent is that it had legs which were cut off due to its sin. And by this, it depicts Egypt, whose legs were cut off so that they would not be able to walk from their place outside their land. For the enemies will go forth with might, and the army came to her with axes to cut off their legs. And with the image of the axes, the poet takes hold of another image: what is done with the axe with which trees are chopped. And therefore it says, "like those who cut down trees." And according to this, it depicts the land of Egypt as a forest, into which they come with axes to cut it down. And it says, "They have cut down her forest," says the Lord. That is to say, these woodcutters and the axes have cut down her forest, for it is not to be searched out, and it is exceedingly great, for they were numerous. And even though it is not to be searched out, nevertheless they cut it down, etc., for the woodcutters who came were more numerous than locusts, and there was no number to them, and it was in their power to chop down the entire forest.
They cut down her forest, says Hashem, Though it cannot be searched; Because they are more than the locusts, And are innumerable.
verse value 2415
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "says·Hashem" (נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, for. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "her·forest" (יַעְרָהּ֙), "will·be·searched" (יֵחָקֵ֑ר), "from·locust" (מֵֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·be·searched', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: כָּרְת֤וּ [they·cut] (626) + יַעְרָהּ֙ [her·forest] (285) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה [says·Hashem] (117) + כִּ֖י [for] (30) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + יֵחָקֵ֑ר [will·be·searched] (318) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + רַבּוּ֙ [be or become great] (208) + מֵֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה [from·locust] (248) + וְאֵ֥ין [and·nothing] (67) + לָהֶ֖ם [to·them] (75) + מִסְפָּֽר [number] (380) = 2415.
Rashi
"They have cut down her forest." There is power in them to cut down the whole of her forest.
For no one can search out. The number of their host:
Radak
“Cut down her forest.” There is a dispute regarding this word: some read “כרתו” as an imperative, like the imperative “be utterly desolate” [חרבו מאד], as if speaking against the army; and others read “כרתו” as a past-tense verb, like “they kept” or “they remembered.” And in some precise manuscripts, the kaf is marked with a ga‘ya, and this is the correct reading according to the context. And there are those who say that it cannot be a past-tense verb because it is followed by “says the Lord,” and it is not the custom for “says the Lord” to follow a past-tense verb in words of prophecy. And behold, they forgot: “they went down to the slaughter, says the King, the Lord of Hosts is His name,” and in words of reproof: “You have all transgressed against Me, says the Lord.” And he said “כרתו” in the past tense, even though its meaning is future, for thus is the custom in many places in words of prophecy, for the future matter of prophecy is treated as established, as if it had already come.
“Yarah.” This means “trees of the forest,” and it is an allegory for the people of Egypt or for their leaders. And so did Jonathan render it in the Targum: “The mighty ones.”
"For it shall not be searched out": The host of Nebuchadnezzar that came upon them shall not be searched out, due to its multitude.
Metzudat David
"Cut down the forest." This means: You, descendants of the Chaldeans, killed all the men of Egypt, for the power to cut down everything is in you, since the number of the Chaldeans cannot be reckoned, for they are more numerous than locusts.
The daughter of Egypt is put to shame; She is delivered into the hand of the people of the north.
verse value 1961
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "in·hand·of" (בְּיַ֥ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "daughter·of·Egypt" (בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "with·north" (עַם־צָפֽוֹן). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "was·given" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah); "in·hand·of" (root יד, 98x in Jeremiah); "with·north" (root צפון, 25x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'daughter·of·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֹבִ֖ישָׁה [is·ashamed] (322) + בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם [daughter·of·Egypt] (782) + נִתְּנָ֖ה [was·given] (505) + בְּיַ֥ד [in·hand·of] (16) + עַם־צָפֽוֹן [with·north] (336) = 1961.
Radak
“Hovishah” – an intransitive verb. And so too, “hovishu ikarim” (the farmers are ashamed), and others. And there is [a form] that is transitive, such as “hovashta hayom et penei avadeikha” (you have this day put to shame the faces of your servants). It says: shame shall be to the daughter of Egypt, when she is given into the hand of the people of the north, who are the Chaldeans — for they, [the Chaldeans], were the first to exile [Israel] from Jerusalem, and now she [Egypt] is given into their hand, and it is right that she be shamed.
Metzudat David
"She has been put to shame." This refers to the shame of the congregation of Egypt, for behold, she has been delivered into the hand of the people of the north, namely the Chaldeans.
Metzudat Zion
"She is put to shame." From the language of shame and disgrace:
Malbim
“Shame came upon the daughter of Egypt,” and thereafter she was left with great shame, for she was given into the hand of the people of the North to be slaves to the people of the North.
Hashem of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and them that trust in him;
verse value 3841
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 87 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֨ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·him" (בּֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·upon·Egypt" (וְעַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 461: and·upon·Pharaoh, and·upon·Pharaoh. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "punishing" (פוֹקֵד֙), "to·Amon" (אֶל־אָמ֣וֹן), "from·No" (מִנֹּ֔א). The root פרעה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "and·upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·upon·her·kings', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Rashi
"Al Amon" – concerning Amon, concerning the officer Amon. Some say it is a term of greatness, as in "Are you better than No-amon" (Nahum 3:8).
"Of No." Great Alexandria, called in the vernacular "Alexandria."
Radak
"God of Hosts, the God of Israel, has said." [The prophet] mentions "the God of Israel" because the retribution coming upon Egypt is punishment for the evil done to Israel — that Shishak, king of Egypt, [did evil to them], and likewise Pharaoh Necho, who killed Josiah — as it is said, "a day of vengeance, to avenge Himself of His adversaries," as explained above.
“Al Amon mena.” This is like “upon Amon”; he is king of the city called No, and it is one of the kingdoms of Egypt. And the Targum translates “Amon” as “a multitude” (המון), and translates “No” as “Alexandria.” And so too he renders it: “Behold, I am about to strike [in punishment] against the tumult of Alexandria.”
Metzudat David
"Behold, I will visit" – I will watch to bring calamity upon the multitude of the people of No, which was a city populous with people; and similarly it is stated: "the multitude of No" (Ezekiel 30:15).
And upon its kings. There were many kingdoms in the land of Egypt, as it is stated, "kingdom upon kingdom" (Isaiah 19:18).
And upon Pharaoh, etc.: This means that just as I will take vengeance upon Pharaoh, so too will I take vengeance upon the gentiles who place their trust in him.
Metzudat Zion
"I bring punishment." The matter of providence in bringing evil:
Amon. Like hamon, and it refers to a large multitude; similarly, "and the rest of the multitude" (below 52).
"Of No." 'No' is Alexandria, so [interprets] Targum Yonatan.
Malbim
He said, "I am about to visit upon Amon of No," which was the seat of the idolatry of Amon, and upon Pharaoh whose land was taken, and upon the kingdom of Egypt and its other gods and its other kings; and afterward He will visit a second time upon Pharaoh, who fought a second time, and Nebuchadnezzar killed him. And this is what it says, "And I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their life, to slay them." And afterward she will dwell as in days of old, as it is stated in Ezekiel, that this was after forty years, when the kingdom of Babylon had ended.
and I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, says Hashem.
verse value 4083
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "in·hand·of" (בְּיַד֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·into·hand·of·his·servants" (וּבְיַד־עֲבָדָ֑יו), "will·settle·down" (תִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן), "as·days·of·old" (כִּֽימֵי־קֶ֖דֶם). The root יד appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "king·of·Babylon" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·I·will·give·them" (root נתן, 141x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·into·hand·of·his·servants', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וּנְתַתִּ֗ים [and·I·will·give·them] (906) + בְּיַד֙ [in·hand·of] (16) + מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י [who·seek] (452) + נַפְשָׁ֔ם [their·soul] (470) + וּבְיַ֛ד [and·in·hand·of] (22) + נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר [Nebuchadrezzar] (573) + מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל [king·of·Babylon] (124) + וּבְיַד־עֲבָדָ֑יו [and·into·hand·of·his·servants] (114) + וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֛ן [and·after·so] (295) + תִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן [will·settle·down] (770) + כִּֽימֵי־קֶ֖דֶם [as·days·of·old] (224) + נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה [says·Hashem] (117) = 4083.
Rashi
And afterward. "At the end of forty years," as Ezekiel said (29:13):
Radak
"And I will give them, and afterward she shall dwell." Just as Ezekiel prophesied: "At the end of forty years, I will gather Egypt" (Ezekiel 29:13) and so on. And what he said, "as in the days of old," does not mean that they will be in their former status as they were in the days of old, for it is stated in Ezekiel: "They shall be a lowly kingdom" (Ezekiel 29:14). Rather, its meaning is that she [Egypt] shall dwell in her land as in the days of old.
Metzudat David
"And afterward." At the end of forty years they will dwell in their land without exile, as in days of old, as it is stated in Ezekiel:
But fear not you, O Jacob My servant, Neither be dismayed, O Israel; For, lo, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity; And Jacob shall again be quiet and at ease, And none shall make him afraid.
verse value 6677
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 86 letters. Notable word values: "my·servant" (עַבְדִּ֤י) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·seed" (וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "saving·you" (מוֹשִֽׁעֲךָ֙). 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "not·fear" (root איל, 293x in Jeremiah); "from·land·of" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·captivity', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 6 words.
Rashi
"And you, do not be afraid." The righteous ones who were in Egypt, who were exiled there against their will.
Radak
"And you, do not fear." This passage is yet to come, and I have already explained it above in its proper place. Here it is repeated with only a slight change in wording, but the meaning is the same. The reason for this is that since the text here mentions the calamity of the nations, it states in contrast regarding Israel: "And you, do not fear," for you are not like them. Even though they will return to their land after their exile, they will not be secure and at peace; rather, their end will be that they will cease to exist as a nation, and their name will not be remembered. But Israel's name will never cease, and their remembrance will endure as long as the heavens are over the earth.
Metzudat David
"And you, do not fear..." [God] came to comfort the exiled children in Babylon, lest they lose hope in the redemption upon seeing that Egypt was exiled to a nearby place and returned quickly, whereas they were exiled to a distant land and have still not returned. Because of this, they might think that they will remain there permanently. Therefore, He said, "And you, do not fear..."
From afar. From the distant land to which you were exiled.
"And Jacob shall return." He shall be in a state of repose, ease, quiet, and tranquility, and there shall be none to terrify him.
Metzudat Zion
Tachat. The matter of fear and calamity, as in "and do not be dismayed before them" (above 1:17).
"And he shall again be [tranquil]." The matter concerns tranquility and rest, as in "in returning and rest" (Isaiah 30:15).
"And at ease." The meaning is tranquility, as in "Moab has been at ease" (below, 48). And the doubling in what is stated [i.e., "quiet and at ease"] is to indicate the abundance of tranquility and quiet.
Malbim
"And you, do not fear, My servant Jacob" – after having stated that Egypt will dwell as in days of old, which was the case when Cyrus reigned, He says that Jacob too need not fear, "and do not be afraid, Israel," the great ones, "for I will save you," etc. These verses have already been explained above in chapter 44.
Fear not you, O Jacob My servant, says Hashem, For I am with you; For I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven you, But I will not make a full end of you; And I will correct you in measure, But will not utterly destroy you.
verse value 6232
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 96 letters. Notable word values: "my·servant" (עַבְדִּ֤י) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "among·all·the·nations" (בְּכׇֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 55: all, all. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "I·have·driven·you" (הִדַּחְתִּ֣יךָ), "and·you" (וְאֹֽתְךָ֙). The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 15 words.
Rashi
"To judge." In law, withhold a little at a time:
"ונקה" – This is a term denoting sweeping away and destruction, and so did Jonathan render it: a term signifying utter annihilation.
Metzudat David
"For I will make an end." This means: Even if I make a full end [of all the nations], etc., behold, you I will not make an end of, even though you will be [scattered] in their land.
"And I will chastise you in judgment." I will chastise you with the punishment fitting to open [your] ear to correction; and I will not clear you away from the world so that the world would remain void of you — that is, I will not cut you off from the world.
Metzudat Zion
"According to justice." Just as in the phrase "according to justice" (b'mishpat), where the letter lamed takes the place of the letter bet, so too in the verse "You have sat upon the throne" (Psalms 9:5). And the meaning is: according to the justice that is fitting for one who opens his ear to reproof. And similarly, "Chasten me, O LORD, but with justice" (above, ch. 6).
Malbim
When it states, "When he had written these words in a book" (above, 36:2), it refers to the book that the Lord commanded Jeremiah to write, containing the words He spoke to him concerning Israel and concerning all the nations. And our Sages of blessed memory taught that the words concerning Israel are those of the Lamentations (Eichah), while the words concerning the nations are the prophecies arranged here from chapter 46 through chapter 52. These were arranged before Jeremiah in a separate book, as stated above (25:13): "And I brought upon them all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations." This refers to the prophecies found here. Therefore, before arranging this book, he informs us of what the Lord said to Baruch the scribe.
Metzudat David
Malbim